The new Range Rover Evoque has gone big on tech in the name of safety

Jaguar Land Rover has just unveiled its brand-new Range Rover Evoque and, instead of simply being a minor tweak on an already successful car, the company has overhauled the city-styled Ranger Rover for 2019.

Taking cues from the Jaguar I-Pace, the Range Rover Evoque is absolutely packed with tech. It follows on from JLR’s dedication to cramming new technologies into its cars and, while it doesn’t come with the traffic light-avoiding tech Jaguar’s currently experimenting with, it does have a tech-powered, safety-minded firsts.

The first major addition to the Evoque for 2019 is its ClearSight “Ground View” technology. Instead of simply being a front-facing camera, Ground View actually combines the feeds of a downward-facing camera in the front grille, alongside two cameras on the car’s wing mirrors. This gives drivers a 180-degree view of the front of the car, helping them spot blind spots and reducing the risks of driving over small hazards.

Intended for use in off-roading situations, it’s just as useful in city driving for navigating narrow side roads, tight, blind corners and even making sure you’ve parked correctly.

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Jaguar’s Smart Settings AI also makes a move over to the Evoque, allowing the car to automatically tune its settings to a driver’s preference. This works by differentiating between drivers via the combination of key fob and a user’s phone as they approach the car. Once engaged, the car will adjust the steering column, seat positions, cabin temperature and radio to your preferred settings. Essentially, you just have to walk up to the car, get in, and go.

However, the most innovative use of technology comes with JLR’s ClearSight Rear View tech. Like many other cars on the market, the Evoque has a rear-view camera on its boot door to help with reversing and parking. The difference here is that the rear-view camera can be used instead of your standard rear-view mirror.

At the press of a button, the Evoque’s standard rear-view mirror switches over to a live feed from the rear camera, providing you with a completely unobstructed view of what’s behind you. Not only is this a blessing for anyone who regularly has three people in the back of the car, but it’s a great way to make sure you can see out of the back if you’re hauling things in the boot or if the rear-window gets dirty or fogged up.

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The Evoque also has a slew of other techy features that you’d probably expect from a high-end city car anyway. You’ve got Apple Car Play and Android Auto, a Wi-Fi hotspot, Bluetooth and six USB slots for charging and connecting devices.

There’s also an “InControl Remote” app for your phone or smartwatch that lets you remotely check on how much fuel you have left, adjust climate control ahead of getting into your car and even locate where you actually parked your car. Not too shabby.

As the Evoque is clearly aimed at those who live in or near a big city, it comes as no surprise that all of these technologies are about making the Evoque more convenient for everyday life. However, Jaguar Land Rover also shows that it’s still committed to adding in new bits of tech to help improve driver safety. Now we just need to see how long it’ll take before we get an all-electric Range Rover to rival the I-Pace.